Ferguson police chief presses to diversify police force

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Ferguson's acting police chief said his department is making slow strides in bolstering the diversity of the St. Louis suburb's police force since it was called into question after last summer's police shooting death of Michael Brown.

Lt. Col. Al Eickhoff took over Ferguson's police department in March after Thomas Jackson resigned as chief. That followed months of complaints by activists that the department lacked meaningful diversity in largely black Ferguson.

Jackson had said after Brown's death by a white officer sparked racial unrest that black officers make up just a sliver of the city's 53-person law enforcement.

Eickhoff said that force is down about six positions from that level, but he's confident more diversity will come soon with the addition of another woman and black officer.